Feeding mechanism for printing presses



March. 15, 1932. c. F. ROOT FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Feb. 9, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. [7747/66 F5002 ATTORNEY5 March 15, 1932.

c. F. ROOT ,849,315

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed-Feb. 9, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. H 672424 27 t ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OHARLm F. ROOT, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GHANDLERE: PRICE COM- 'IPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO FEEDING.MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES vApplication filed February 9, 1923. Serial No; 617,973.

The present improvements, relating as indicated to feeding mechanism for printing presses, have re ard more particularly to a machine for feet ing sheets of pa er onto the platens of so=called Gordon or-p aten printingpresses, such machine being designed to pickup and transfer the sheets by pneumatic suction. One main object of the invention is to provide a sheet feeding mechanism that may be readily attached to existing presses of the type in question with little or no alteration in their'structure and that, when attached or installed, will not unnecessarily encumber the press or ham er the operatorin attendance thereon. A urther object is to provide for-the adjustment of such feeding mechanism whereby the suction, which is applied to the suction fingers, may be controlled conjointly with the movement of the latter so as to locate the sheet accurately on the platen of the press. Still another object is to render the mechanism simple and compact and to reduce the number of operating parts so that a minimum amount of attention andrepa'ir will be involved.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists ofthe means hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims,

the annexed drawings and the following descripti-on setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying vthe invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

3 is a front elevation of such mechanism and press; Fig. 4 1s a side elevation of the suct on fingers and of the associated parts of the mechanism whereby such fingers are carried, as viewed in the opposite direction from that of Fig. 1, i. e. from the right, regarding the machine as shown in Figs-2 and 3; Fig. 4a

is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the parts in different operative position; Fig. '5 is a perspective view of the same parts; 'Fig. 6 1s a transverse section of a detail of such mechanism, the plane of the section bein ini dicated by the line 66, Fig. 4a; and Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the table whereon the stack of blank sheets is supported.

The press illustrated inthe drawings, as previously indicated, is of the familiar platen or Gordon type and neednot be further described than to, note the oscillatory mounted; platen 1. on which the sheet' requires to be placed preliminarily to being brought into contact with the form bythes conjoint movement of such platen and'of the opposite bed 2 which carries such form in a suitable chase, not shown. In the several general views appearing in-the drawings, the press is shown with the platen in its sheet receiving position, the grippers 3, whereby the sheet is held onto-the platen during' the printing operation, being suitably raised.

The principal support for the feeding mechanism of present interest is a vertical tubular shaft 5 which, as shown, is preferably installed on the left side of the main frame of the press so asto lie laterally adjacent to the platen in its aforesaid sheet receiving position, the upper end of the shaft 1 rising a suitable distance above such platen.

Such shaft is oscillatorily mounted about a transverse axis for which the main drive shaft 6 of the .press may be conveniently utilized, as the result of which said shaft 5, it will be seen, is movable in a vertical plane lying alongside of the platen, ,7

The present feed mechanism is designed to operate in conjunction witha magazine or table 7 for the blank sheets that is located directly in front of the platen and is inclined downwardlyin a direction away from such platen at an angle sufficient to cause the stack of paper to rest in a correspondingly inclined position against a backplate 8 on said table. Such back plate will ordinarily be longitudinally movable along thetop' ofthe table to advance the ,stack as successive sheets are removed fromthe front thereof, but -inasmuch as such advancingmeans formnopart of the present invention, it is not deemed necessary to illustrate the same, and for the same reason the means, which will ordinarily be provided for adjusting the elevation of the table, are not illustrated.

Fixedly mounted on the upper end of tubular shaft 5 is a tubular cap piece 10 pro-- vided with a rearwardly extending arm 11 that serves as a support for a horizontally extending tubular arm or sleeve 12. The lat ter in effect forms an integral part of such arm and serves in turn to support an oscillatory shaft 13 which'projects beyond the respective ends of the sleeve. of such shaft, i. e. the one thus projecting beyond the sleeve adjacent the vertical shaft 5, is attached a lever 14 whereby said shaft may be rocked through the medium of a connecting rod 15. The other end of said shaft 13, i. e. the end which projects beyond the inner end of sleeve 12 and over the platen 1, is provided with a transversely disposed arm 16, the free end of which is adapted, upon oscillation of said shaft, to swing from a positi on approximately normal to the front face of the stack'of paper on table 7 to a position similarly approximately normal to the platen in its sheet receiving position. Such free end of arm 16, as best shown in Fig. 5, is bent at'approximately right angles to the arm proper and is bifurcated, the respective branches being formed with parallel slots or guideways 17. In the latter is adjustably held a transverse bar or rod 18 to which are adjustably attached in turn the sheet engaging and moving means in the form of suction fingers 19, screws 20 being provided in connection with the latter whereby they may besecured in any desired position longitudinally of said bar 18. Projecting from shaft 13 at approximately right angles to arm 16 and conveniently made integral therewith, as shown, is a shorter arm 21, to the outer end of which is pivotally attached a bell crank lever 22. One arm of the latter lies alongside said arm 21 and is formed with a slot or guideway 23, while the other arm lies parallel with arm 16 and, like the latter, is bifurcated at its lower end, the respective branches being formed with slots or guideways 24 disposed to intersect or lie crosswise of slot 17. As best shown'in Fig. 4a, the rod or bar 18 that carries the suction fingers is held in such slots 24 at the same time that it is supported in the slot 17. As a result it will be evident that oscillation of bell crank lever 22 will serve to move'said bar longi tudinally of slot 17 Such oscillation of the bell crank lever isderived from a pin or stud bolt 25 that is adjustably held by means of a wing nut 26 in a slot 27 formed in an arm or bracket 28 rigidly secured tosleeve 12, the slotted portion ofsuch arm or bracket lying transversely of the axis of shaft 13 and preferably at an angle inclined to thehorizontal To the outer end as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The inner end of said pin 25 is provided with a roller 29 that engages with the slot 23 in the upper horizontal arm of bell crank lever 22, thus providing a slidable pivotal connection between said arm or bracket 28 and such lever arm.

The operation of the parts of the machine which thus serve to movably support the suction fingers 19 may be conveniently explained at this point. WVhen the stud or pin 25 is secured in slot 27 so as'to be co-axial with shaft 13, bell crank lever 22 will oscillate in unison with arm 16, i.'e. without any independent or relative movement. However, upon shifting the location of said pin in slot 27 from such co-az-zial position, oscillation of the shaft and thus of arm 16 will produce'a differential movement or oscillation of lever 22 so that the lower end of the latter will advance and retract the bar 18 along guideways 17 as said lever 16 swings back and forth. It will thus be seen that in addition to the strictly oscillatory movement which is imparted to the suction fingers, and thus to the sheet in course of its transfer from table 7 to platen 1, such suction fingers may be given a movement in a plane at one time parallel with the front of the stack of paper on said table and at another time in aplane parallel with the platen. Such first movement may be utilized to assist in disengaging the sheet from the stack of paper, while in the latter case such movement permits of a wider range of location for the sheet on the platen.

In addition, of course, to the movement of the suction fingers thus derived from the oscillation of shaft 13 and of the arm and relatively oscillatory lever supported there from, the entire mechanism carried by the main supporting shaft 5 is capable of oscillation about its axis 6.

For the purpose of applying suction to the fingers or tips 19, a flexible hose30, or equivalent duct, is supported intermediately ofits ends on the sleeve 12, such duct having branches 31 that are connected with inc ividual suction tips. The other end of said duct is connected with a port 32 in the upper end of shaft 5, the opening of such port, of course, extending through cap piece 10 and such port being controlled by a second tubu lar shaft 33 reciprocable within said shaft 5 and provided near its upper end with a port 34 adapted to register with said port 32 in the upper position of said inner shaft.

When, however, the latter is dropped into its lower position, as shown in Fig. 3, port 32 is open to the atmosphere and thus any suction or vacuum within duct 30 and the suction fingers is relieved. The lower end of said inner shaft 33, as shown inFig. 1, projects beyond the corresponding end of the shaft 5 and is connected with a suction line 35 whereby the necessary degree of vacuum is maintained in said shaft 33 so thatwhen .a disk cam 46 located therebetween.

the two ports are in register and the suction fingers placed in communication therewith through duct '30," such fingers will be adapted to pick up the sheet of paper to'be transferred.

Oscillation of the main supporting shaft 5,

tion fingers, are all derived from a transverse driving shaft 40 journaled in suitable bearings 41 on the main frame of the press,

the right hand end of said shaft, as viewed in Fig. 3, being connected by'means of suitable gears 42 with the so-called large gear 43 of the press. Said shaft 40, it will thus be seen,

is-rotated in unison with the; movements of the various parts of the press, includlng the platen l and bed 2. At its opposite end, the left, as viewed in said Fig. 3, the shaft in question carries two face cams 44 and 45 with groove 44a on the outwardly directed face of said first named cam engages with .a roller. on

one end of a lever 47, the other end ofwhich is pivotallyattached to the rod '15 whereby lever 14 and shaft 13 are oscillated; While a groove 45a on the'inwardly directed face of said second cam similarly engages with .a

roller on the end of a lever arm 48 that is fixedly attached to main supporting shaft 5 and serves to oscillate said shaft inthe The pea forked connection with the lower end 33a of the inner tubular shaft A plate 50,

that is adapted to be directly bolted against p the corresponding side frame of the press,

provides for the pivotal support of the two levers 47 and 49 that require such support,

From the foregoing description of the ClIlV- in-g shaftand its connection with the various operative parts of the machine, it will follow that not only will the oscillatory movement of the main supporting shaft 5 about its axis 6 be properly correlated with the oscillation of the transverse shaft 13 which iscarri-ed by said main shaft and in turn carries the while of course such variation in the case of the movement of bell crank 22 may be independently made by adjusting the position of pivot pin 25' in slot 27.

It will further be noted that the bar 18, by

which the. suction fingers .19; are directly :carried, is always brought to the same 'pick -up position; in other words, will always present said suction fingers in the-same relationto the stackof sheets on-t-ab'le =7, as shown .in

dotted outline in Fig. 1.. However, by'variously adjusting the stud or pin 25 in $101327,

said bar, as previously explained,iismoved back from such normal position in guideways 17 a greater or less distance, depending upon such adjustment. This movement of the bar is in a direction transverse of the axis while arm 16 oscillates always through "a fixed arc and the suction :fin-gers carried by bar 18 always start from the same pick-up position, the sheet that is picked-up maybe carried to any desired position on thevplaten 1 before it is released. a a

Other modes of applying the principle' of -my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being'madeuas regards the mechanismhereindisclosed, provided the means stated by any of thefollowing claims or the equivalent of such stated means beemployed. Y a a I therefore particularly point out andd-istinctly claim as my invention 1. In mechanism ofcthe' character described, the combination of amovably'su-pported horizontally extending arm; a sheet engaging and moving finger carriedby said arm; and means adapted automatically to impart .a compound movement to said 'fingeriinthe ath of travel imparted'thereto by saidarm incidentally to movement of the latter, suicistantially as described. 1

2. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of'a movable vertically extending support; a horizontally" extendingxarm carried by said support; a sheet engaging and moving fingercarried in turn by said arm; and means adapted automatically to impart a compound movement to said finger in the path: of travel imparted thereto by said arm incidentallyto movement of the latter with i said support, substantially as described.

3. In mechanism of the character de scribed, the combination of avertically extending support oscillatory about a transverse axis a horizontally extending arm carried by said support; a sheet engaging and movingvfinger carried in turn by said arm; and means adapted automatically to impart a compound oscillatory movement to said finger in the path of travel imparted thereto by said arm incidentally to oscillation of the latter with said support, substantially as described. 4 I 4. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a vertically extending support oscillatory about a transverse axis; a shaft projecting from said support in a direction substantially parallel with such axis and oscillatory about its own axis; a transversely extending arm carried by sa1d shaft; a sheet engaging and moving finger carried in turn by said arm, said finger being shiftable relatively to the latter; and means adapted automatically to oscillate said shaft and shift said finger with respect to said arm incidentally to oscillation of said support.

5. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a vertically extending support oscillatory about a transarm.

6. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a vertically extending support oscillatory about a trans verse axis; an arm extending horizontally from the upper end of said support in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of the latter; an oscillatory shaft aligned with and carried by said arm; a second transversely extending arm carried by the inner end of said shaft; a sheet engaging and moving finger carried in turn by said second arm and shiftable relatively to the latter; and means adapted automatically to oscillate said shaft and shift said finger with respect to said arm incidentally to oscillation of said support. 7. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a vertically extending support oscillatory about a transverse axis; an arm extending horizontally from the upper end of said support in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of said support; an oscillatory shaft aligned with and carried by vsaid arm; a second, transversely extending arm carried by the inner end of said shaft; and a suction finger carried in turn by said second arm, said finger being shiftable transversely of the free end of said second arm.

8. In mechanism of the' character de-' scribed, the combination of a vertically extending support oscillatory about a transverse axis; an arm extending horizontally from the upper end of said support in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of said support; an oscillatory shaft aligned with and carried by said arm; a second, transversely extending arm carried by the inner end of said shaft; and a suction finger carried in turn by said second arm, said finger being automatically shiftable transversely of the free end of said second arm incidentally to movement of the latter.

9. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a vertically extending support oscillatory about a transfrom the upper end of said support in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of said support; an oscillatory shaft aligned With and carried-by said arm; a second, transversely extending arm carried by the inner end of said shaft; a suction finger carried in turn by said arm, said finger being shiftable transversely of the free end of said second arm; and connections between said first arm and finger, whereby the latter is thus shifted incidentally to oscillation of said shaft.

10. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a vertically extending support oscillatory about a transverse axis; an arm extending horizontally from the upper end of said support in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of said support; an oscillatory shaft aligned with and carried by said arm; a second, transversely extending arm carried by the inner end of said shaft; a suction finger carried in turn by said arm, said finger being shiftable transversely of the free end of said second arm; and adjustable connections between said first arm and finger, whereby the latter is thus shifted incidentally to oscillation of said shaft.

11. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a vertically extending support oscillatory about a transverse axis located near its lower end; an arm extending horizontally from the upper end of said support; an oscillatory shaft aligned with and carried by said arm; a second, transversely extending arm carried by theinner end of said shaft, said second arm being formed with a transverse guide-way at its free end; a suction finger shiftably supported in such guide-Way; and a member projecting from said first arm and operatively connected with said finger thus to shift the same incidentally to oscillation of said shaft.

12. In mechanism of the character described, the combinationof a vertically extending support oscillatory about .a trans- .770 verse axis; an arm extending horizontally" verse axis located near its lower end; an

arm extending horizontally from the upper end of said support; an oscillatory shaft aligned with and carried by said arms; a second, transversely extending arm carried by the inner end of said shaft, said second arm 13. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a vertically extending support oscillatory about a transverse axis located near its lower end; an arm extending horizontally from the upper end of said support; an oscillatory shaft aligned with and carried by said arm; a second, transversely extending arm carried by the inner end of said shaft, said second arm being formed with a transverse guide-way at its free end; a suction finger shiftably supported in such guide-way; and a member projecting from said first arm and formed with a guide-way intersecting the guide-way in sa1d second arm, said finger being likewise shiftably held in the guide-way in said member, and said member being angularly adjustable relatively to said first arm.

1 1. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a vertically extending support oscillatory about a transverse axis located near its lower end; an arm extending horizontally from the upper end of said support; an oscillatory shaft aligned with and carried by said, arm; a second, transversely extending arm carried by the inner end of said shaft, said second arm being formed with a transverse guide-way at its free end; a suction finger shiftably supported in such guide-way; a bell-crank lever eccentrically attached to said shaft arm adjace-nt said second arm and formed at one end With a guide-way intersecting the guideway in the latter, said finger being like-wise shiftably held in the guide-Way in said lever;

and adjustable connections between said first arm and theother end of said lever, whereby the latter may be caused to rock upon oscillation of said shaft.

15. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a sheet engaging and moving finger, and means for movably supporting the same, and means for adjusting said means to vary the sheet-depositing position of said finger independently of any stop for finger or sheet, and independently of the pick-up position.

16. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a suction finger, and means for movably supporting same, said means including two members, one carried by the other, and one having an oscillatory path of travel while the other is bodily movable in a rectilinear direction transverse of the axis of oscillation of said first member.

17. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a suitable support, a member mounted on said support so as to be oscillatory about an approximately horizontal axis, and a suction finger carried by said arm and bodily movable relatively thereto in a rectilinear direction transverse of the axis of oscillation of said arm.

18. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a vertically extending support oscillatory about a transverse axis; a horizontally extending arm carried by said support; a suction finger oscillatorily mounted on said arm; and means adapted conjointly to oscillate said support about its axis and said finger about said arm.

19. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a vertically extending support oscillatory'about a transverse axis; a horizontally extending arm carried by said support; a suction finger oscillatorily mounted on said arm; means adapted conjointly to oscillate said support about its axis and said finger about said arm; and other means adapted to shift the position of said finger relatively to said arm incidentally to such oscillation thereof.

20. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a vertically extending support oscillatory about a transverse axis; a horizontally extending arm carried by said support; a suction finger oscillatorily mounted on said arm; means adapted conjointly to oscillate said support about its axis and said finger about said arm; and other adjustable means adapted to shift the position of said finger relatively to said arm incidentally to such oscillation thereof.

21. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a vertically ex tending support oscillatory about a transverse axis; a horizontally extending arm carried by said support; a suction finger oscillatorily mounted on said arm; means adapted conjointly to oscillate said support about its axis and said finger about said arm; and means adapted to control the suction applied through said finger in unison with the foregoing movement of parts.

22. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a sheet engaging and moving finger, and means for movably supporting the same, and means for adjusting said means to vary the sheet-depositing position of said finger, independently of any stop for the finger and independently of the pickup position.

Signed by me, this 6th day of February, I

CHARLES F. ROOT. 

